A Night in New Haven
by McCarver
Summary: Eve, a seven year old girl, was the sole survivor of a crash landing. Lost but determined, she begins her journey through a war zone to find her mother that was left behind. Only from the aid of an unlikely friend will Eve be able to make it home.
1. Genesis

**A Night in New Haven**

_Genesis_

It was a confirmed hit. Two more fuelrod rounds struck the back of the human ship as it descended towards the ground. Fire erupted from the rear as the tail of the ship crumbled to pieces. Over a mile it fell before crashing into a grassy hillside. The two Banshees, much like hungry buzzards, circled the fallen shuttle from high above.

"Mission complete brother," said Von'taree. "Shall we return to the _Atonement_?"

Lortuh'ree felt uneasy, as if something was evading him. He growled as a strafing round was unleashed from his Banshee's turrets. The scorching plasma penetrated through the vessel's cockpit with ease as smoke began to fill the air. Pursuing after human escape crafts was never a difficult task for the Covenant military. Many Sangheili believe that only those who were unfit for combat were left to carry out such insignificant assignments.

Lortuh'ree remained silent as he accelerated his Banshee towards the Covenant cruiser looming in the sky. Von'taree followed close behind his wingman. Once the Banshees were secured in the landing bay, the _Atonement_ activated its boosters. Slowly the cruiser climbed above the evening clouds and into orbit with the rest of the fleet.

The sun was sinking as the sky turned from a shade of orange to purple. Only the sound of the roaring fire eating away the fallen vessel could be heard. Ashes were carried hundreds of feet into the air by the wind. Not a single trace of life could be seen or heard within miles of the crash site. It was as if all of New Haven had become silent and death was all that remained on the planet. A quiet rumble of thunder broke the silence as sheets of rain began to fall to the ground. Another quake of thunder echoed across the fields. A few drops of water leaked in through the cracked roof of the ship and fell on Eve's forehead. After several long minutes, she had finally awoken from the crash.

Eve could barely open her eyes as the smoke hovered through the aisle. The last thing she recalled was her Auntie Liz praying. The people on the plane were screaming too loud for her to hear anything. She was still tightly holding on to her stuffed bear with both arms.

Stretching out one of her hands, Eve pulled on the sleeve of her aunt. She didn't move… Eve pulled again on the sleeve only to have Auntie Liz's head droop down towards the floor. Eve then turned to her right as she stared at her older cousin Victor. He wasn't moving…neither was Uncle Jim. All three were silent as was everybody else on board.

After a few seconds of struggling with the seatbelt straps, Eve freed herself from the chair. The orange backpack that her aunt had prepared was still below her feet. Eve held on to her toy in one hand and the pack in the other. Squeezing by Auntie Liz's legs, Eve secured her backpack around her shoulders and got on her hands and knees. She cautiously crawled down the aisle towards the front of the plane. Eve remembered being taught at school that she should stay below the smoke in a room during a fire. For a seven year old, Eve was very smart. She was always a good student and wanted to make her parents proud.

The shuttle was relatively small compared to others in the UNSC. Capable of fitting less than fifty people, it quickly filled up during the evacuation of New Haven. This particular vessel was the last to depart before the Covenant destroyed the airport but all twelve of the ships used were intercepted by Banshees and Covenant cruisers. Not a single one made it to safety.

The heat coming from the fire in the cockpit was almost unbearable. Eve crawled her way to the emergency hatch and noticed the button next to the door. She tried her best to read the words below the button but gave up. All Eve could understand was "EXIT" and "ONLY" but the other word was too complicated. The smoke was burning her eyes and she couldn't take it any longer. Lifting up her hand, Eve pressed the bright, red button. The emergency hatch made a hissing noise followed by a loud crash as it made contact with the ground. Eve climbed slowly down each step until she was off the plane completely.

After taking a deep breath of fresh air, Eve looked at her surroundings. The rain had transformed into a light sprinkle as the storm drifted towards the east. Lightning could still be seen illuminating the clouds followed by a distant rumble. Looking to her right, Eve spotted a group of trees that were nearby the crash site. With her backpack and stuffed bear, Eve ran until she was underneath the cover.

Unable to find a dry spot to rest on, Eve removed her backpack and placed it by the trunk of a thick oak. She then sat down on the wet grass and laid her back against the tree. A cold breeze tossed her long, blond hair in the wind. Water dripped down the front of her hair onto her pale cheeks. Eve's favorite coat was soaking wet along with all of her other clothes. Shivering from the cold, she pulled her legs towards her body and wrapped her arms around them to keep warm. Eve placed her teddy bear between her legs and stomach to keep him warm as well.

Resting her forehead on her knees, Eve began to doze off. She struggled to stay awake but each time she would reopen her eyes, they would become heavier and heavier.

"I think this is a bad dream Teddy," whispered Eve softly to her stuffed bear. With that, Eve closed her eyes and entered into a deep sleep.

XXXXX

Eve dreamt of when her father use to live at home; before he had to leave on his long trip. Each night, her father would lie in bed with her telling stories of faraway worlds and all the adventures that he goes on.

"There are even cities that float among the stars!" exclaimed the father. Eve was always fascinated with the different worlds and people that he would speak of. With a smile on her face and eyes wide open, she would listen keenly as her imagination pictured every word her father spoke.

"And someday Eve," said the father "I will take you with me. Any place your heart desires, we shall see together. Now close your eyes my love, it is time for rest."

"Not until I get a goodnight kiss," said the mother. She walked into the room and sat down on the bed with her husband and daughter. Eve stood up in her bed and embraced her mother and father with her arms. Both of the parents kissed her on the cheek. Her father then picked her up and held her tightly.

"Eve, I love you more than anything else in the world," said her father. "I am so proud that you are my daughter." Eve looked up at her father and saw tears gathering in his eyes. Her mother was weeping as well.

"Daddy is going on a long adventure tomorrow but I promise I will come home as soon as I can," said the father. "And when I return, we can go to the playground as much as you want. We could even have a picnic with Auntie Liz's family!"

Eve's mother wasn't looking at either of them anymore. She just cried quietly to herself as she stared out the bedroom window.

The father then pulled a box with pink wrapping paper out from under the bed. "This is an early birthday present for my favorite girl," said the father as he wiped his tears with his hand.

Eve peeled off the wrapping paper and placed the ribbons on her bed sheets. She then lifted the lid and handed it to her father. Reaching her arms inside the box, Eve pulled out a stuffed teddy bear. Her eyes brightened as she squeezed the toy bear tightly against her.

Her father laughed quietly to himself. "I knew you would love it." Lifting the sheets, he started to tuck Eve into bed alongside her new friend.

"I think I am going to call him Teddy!" Eve said excitedly.

"And I think that is a perfect name," said the father. "Now, my Eve, it is time for you to sleep."

Eve yawned as she rested her head on the pillow. Her mother had left the room and walked into the hallway where she waited for her husband.

"Eve, though you might not see me for a long time, know that I will always be with you," whispered the father. "Know that whenever you are thinking of me, I am thinking of you." He cupped his hand over the head of Eve and stroked her hair until she was asleep. "I love you Eve and I will always be with you."

XXXXX

Waking up from a nightmare is entirely different than waking up in a one. It had been over an hour since Eve had fallen asleep. The sun had almost descended completely behind the mountain horizon as hundreds of bright stars began to appear overhead. The two crescent moons climbed slowly into the night sky. A cool breeze would occasionally stir as the endless fields of grass swayed back and forth. The light from the moons illuminated the plains surrounding the crash site.

Eve hadn't moved since she first sat down on the ground. Night had come and the air had only grown colder. The fire from the vessel was dying down and was now a faint glow. Eve lifted her head only to witness that she was still in the same depressing situation from before. This was her reality and nothing could save her from it.

Her green eyes started to swell with tears as she began to cry. They streamed down her face as she pulled her teddy bear close. Eve was afraid, alone, and lost with no way of getting home. Standing to her feet, she walked out from under the trees. Teddy was locked in her arms as she made her way up a hill that was nearby. After a minute of walking, Eve made it to the top of the overlook. Below her, endless fields of grass stretched out as far as the eye could see as the last glimmer of the afternoon sky faded in the distance. Terror began to overtake Eve. She could no longer hold in all the pain that was stirring inside her.

"Daddy!" cried Eve desperately. "I need you! You said you would come home Daddy! You said you would always be here for me!" Eve fell to her knees as she rubbed tears from her eyes. "You promised…" A strong gust of wind passed by Eve. The lump in her throat was becoming too large for her to speak.

"I miss you…," she said softly.

Her mind began to wander. With only old memories to comfort her, Eve thought back to the time when she and her mother were both waiting for the father's return. Along with the teddy bear, Eve's father gave her a calendar so that she could mark off the days until he came back home. "Mommy, I want to see! How many more days are left?" Eve climbed up on her chair so she could see the calendar lying on the kitchen table. "Sweetie, you have already asked several times today," said the mother as she lifted another wet plate from the sink to her drying towel. "It will be at 8 months until your father is back." Despite being asked the same question over and over, Eve's mother always replied with kindness. She was a very patient and loving mother after all. Eve looked down flipped the pages forward to the date of her father's arrival. Silently, she gazed at the calendar with a longing glance. Her mother laid down her towel on the counter as she walked up behind Eve's chair. "It may seem like a long time," said her mother as she embraced Eve in a hug. "But he will be back before you know it."

Days turned into weeks as weeks turned into months. Eventually, only three days remained before the father would return home. Eve was excited with anticipation and tried her best to keep busy so that time would go by quickly. While playing in the front yard in her sandbox, Eve noticed a black car pulling up to her house. Slowly, it parked on the side of the road as two elderly men climbed out of the vehicle. Walking side by side, they made their way to the front of the house. Both were dressed alike and were decorated with medals. Neither of them acknowledged Eve as they passed by her. She turned her head and saw one of the men knock on the door. Eve's mother opened but as soon as she saw the officers, she fell directly on the ground and began to weep heavily. Eve never discovered what the men told her mother but she was never the same after that day. All she was told was that her father was delayed and wouldn't be coming home for a very long time.

A few months after that day, Eve's mother became very ill. She and her mother made many trips to the hospital where they would spend hours diagnosing the ailment. A tumor had spawned in the brain of the mother and was spreading. Eve did not understand what this meant. Her mother's condition only grew worse as her organs started to fail. Eve noticed how her mother had changed. She no longer took her to school or went on walks to the park. All her mother would do is rest in bed all day with odd machines attached to her.

Months fell off the calendar until it had been nearly two years since her father had left. The mother's tumor had completely spread throughout her body. Auntie Liz would often visit the house and would take care of Eve and her mother. This became the daily routine until the dreaded day of the evacuation.

XXXXX

"Don't worry about me, my love," said the mother quietly. "Auntie Liz has your favorite backpack ready for you. Eve, you must be brave like Daddy and go with her."

"No Mommy, I don't want to leave!" cried Eve as she held on to the arm of her mother. "Get up! You can come with us. Please Mommy, we can go on the plane together!" Eve looked at her mother trying her best to hold back the tears.

"I am sorry Eve but that cannot happen," said the mother with a pale look on her face. "Oh, you have grown up so fast. I love you with all my heart Eve. Never forget that." The mother then looked at Auntie Liz. "Please take care of her."

Eve gave her mother a final hug. Auntie Liz then carried her out to the car where Uncle Jim and Victor were waiting. Eve looked out the car window as she watched her house fade away in the distance. Only the sound of sirens could be heard echoing across the land.

XXXXX

Eve lifted her head as she stared at the two moons hanging in the sky. Though lost and afraid, she felt comforted by the sight of the paired crescents shining down on her. Against her will, Eve stood up and strapped on her backpack. She knew that nobody was going to come and rescue her. She was alone and now must go on her own adventure. Frighten but resolute, Eve was determined to find her mother that was left behind.

"Mommy is still in her room," said Eve. "And we need to go back to get her." With the storm gone, Eve was finally able get a good glimpse of her surroundings. A faint light glimmered from the distant mountains towards the west. As the only light in view, Eve lifted up her stuffed animal and dusted some dirt off her leggings.

"Come on Teddy," said Eve with all the courage she could summon. "We're going home."


	2. Final Flight

_Final Flight_

Both of the moons had reached their peak as countless stars drifted in the heavens above. Endless fields of grass swayed as a gentle breeze swept across the land. In the east, a dark, blue glow outlined the edge of the night sky. Thirty minutes had passed since Eve descended from the hill where the shuttle had crashed. Many miles of walking still remained between her and the faint light she saw from the overlook. Though alone and afraid, Eve continued on her journey towards the mountains. Maybe, she hoped, there could be somebody who would take her home to her mother.

Plains of long grass danced like waves in the ocean as their tips would brush up against Eve's legs. It was a mesmerizing sight and almost as if one was walking through a dream. Eve yawned as she lifted her hand to rub her eyes. Picking her teddy up with both arms, she held him tightly and continued to walk. As much as she would have liked to rest, Eve knew that she had to reach the light as soon as possible. Sleep would have to wait.

While walking, Eve started to wonder why the shuttle had crashed and why she was the only one to wake up from it. Why did they even have to leave home in the first place? Many questions filled her mind and each one was too difficult to understand. Thinking back to earlier that day, Eve tried her hardest to remember what happened at the airport and why everybody was in such a hurry to leave.

XXXXX

The parking lot was packed with vacant cars as a few more people trickled through the entrance of the airport. The lifeless skyscrapers of the city of Torinalle towered in the background. Any other day the lights would illuminate from the magnificent buildings and shine in every direction. But now was not the time to draw attention to itself. Praying that the evacuation would go unnoticed, all power to the metropolis had been shut down leaving it as an empty ghost town.

"There's no time Liz! We need to get inside now!" shouted Uncle Jim as he slammed the trunk of the car. "It was pointless for you to pack all this junk and a waste of precious time. Hell, we'll be lucky just to get away with our lives now!"

"Stop it Jim, just stop it! I have enough gut rot as it is and I don't need you screaming at me!" cried Auntie Liz as she threw her luggage to the ground.

Eve stood silently a few feet from the car with only her backpack and her teddy bear. The family was in the back of the lot since they could not find any suitable spots nearby to unload. The entire area was crammed with all sorts of vehicles. Some even left their cars in the middle of the road just so they can get inside quickly. Nobody was planning on coming back though and others followed the trend. The clutter of cars extended across the entire lot making it extremely difficult for people to get inside.

"Come on boy," yelled Uncle Jim to Victor. "We're already late enough as it is. Get out of the car and carry your mother's bag."

"Who is going to hold Buddy then?" asked Victor as he climbed out of his seat.

"Nobody," replied Uncle Jim emotionlessly as he strapped his duffle bag to his shoulder. "He is staying in the car."

"What? No! You said he could come with us!" exclaimed Victor. A feeling of betrayal overtook him as he lifted the young, black Labrador from his car seat. "Mom, this isn't fair! We can't just leave him to die! You promi-"

"Listen to me boy!" Victor's plead was abruptly cut off as Uncle Jim jerked his son's arm towards him. "We all could die if we don't get off the planet! And now you are crying over a stupid mutt you have had less than a month? Grow up and think of your family!" He released Victor's arm and started walking towards the airport's entrance.

Victor turned his head quickly to his mother as she stood by Eve. Auntie Liz approached him as she gently put her hand on his shoulder. "I know that this isn't fair honey. Nobody wants to leave home, to leave all that we have behind. If it was my choice, I would have everything back to the way it was when we first arrived to New Haven but that isn't possible. We have to leave."

"Mom, I can't…I am not strong enough to leave him behind. Doesn't he deserve to live?" Victor looked down at Buddy resting in his arms. Despite all the chaos, he remained quietly asleep. "Why did you let him come with us then? Why did you make me think he could come? You lied to me! I believed you Mom!"

"I am so sorry but I just wanted to give you as much time with him before you had to say goodbye. My dear, we need to go before it is too late."

Victor started to walk towards the car door. Tears dripped down his cheeks as he tried his best to hold back his pain. Buddy yawned as he awoke from his sleep. After rolling his car window down a bit, he laid his puppy on a red blanket placed on the seat.

"You are the greatest dog in the world. I don't want to leave you but I have no choice." Victor could barely get his words out of his mouth. He stroked Buddy's ears as the young pup gazed at him with a curious look. He licked his master's hand as it was drawing away.

Victor then locked and closed his door. He stood there for a few seconds with his back towards the car. Buddy leapt out of his seat with his paws on the window as he watched his owner leave him behind. Victor started to walk back to his mother and stopped when he heard Buddy bark. He turned his head only to see his dog staring at him.

"Please forgive me," whispered Victor tearfully.

After picking up his bag, he walked passed his mother and Eve directly towards the airport without saying a word. Auntie Liz then looked at Buddy as he pawed at the window. "How many more sacrifices must be made before this nightmare is over?" she said quietly to herself.

Eve could only think of her own broken family while watching the argument between Victor and his parents. Why did she have to leave her mother behind? How come she couldn't come along? When will she see her again? Eve tried her best to understand all the questions racing through her mind but she couldn't focus. The sky was beginning to turn a deep orange and red as giant, white clouds began to appear over the airport. It was as if a blanket was being stretched across the canopy above.

Auntie Liz and Eve finally made it to the doorway. Four UNSC Warthogs were stationed at the front of the building. Each one of the armored jeeps was mounted with a M41 chain gun as they barricaded the causeway towards the entrance. Marines patrolled back and forth as they nervously gazed at the afternoon sky. A disheartened look could be noticed on their faces as they silently stood at guard. After passing the security post, Auntie Liz and Eve finally made it inside with the others. Uncle Jim and Victor were waiting nearby the monorail station that would transport them to the docking area of the airport.

"Took you long enough Liz, now let's get going. I heard that there are two more flights out of here. Hopefully, there will be enough room for us." Uncle Jim then made his way towards the small crowd of people waiting nearby where the monorail would be arriving. Auntie Liz had too many concerns on her mind to pay attention to her husband's rude remarks. Victor followed after his father with Auntie Liz and Eve right behind him.

About thirty people lined up to board the monorail. Fortunately, there was enough room on the train to accommodate the group. Eve and her family walked down the narrow hallway towards the rail station. Grim soldiers with riot control gear lined the outer wall of the area as they watched the frightened civilians load onto the monorail. Though armed to the teeth, they were too few in numbers to even hope to hold back the coming storm.

While standing at the back of the line, Eve noticed a couple of Marines gathering around a hologram projector that was placed on the ground. It displayed a three dimensional map of the immediate area with dozens of green dots faintly glowing. They muttered among themselves quietly.

All of a sudden, a hologram of a slim, tall man appeared on the projector. He was dressed in a black suit but rested his blazer over his right shoulder. His black tie was loosely hanging around his neck with the collar unbuttoned. The right side of his white, button-down shirt was tucked into his pants as the other side draped over his thigh. Lifting a black fedora in his left hand, he fixed it on the top of his head and then brushed a few strains of hair hanging in front of his eyes.

"Okay Cyrus, whatcha got for us? I could really use some good news right about now," said the squad leader to the hologram.

"When is it ever good news Sarge?" replied the A.I. sarcastically as he placed a cigarette in his mouth.

"I have no time for your attitude Cyrus. Colonel Trigg had to leave with the majority of the security forces to oversee the final boarding of the evacuation ships. He left me in charge until he returns."

"Is that so?" said Cyrus as he lifted his lighter to his cigarette. "So should you be the one to tell him of the eight Covenant warships that have just arrived in orbit?" The A.I. put his lighter in his back pocket as the tip of the cigarette slowly burned.

The Sergeant's face went pale. "But...but the long range scanners said only one was detec-,"

"The scanners were wrong," said Cyrus as smoke casually exhaled from his mouth. "I can see them right now from my satellites,"

The Sergeant looked down as he tried to comprehend the situation. "Wait, what about the frigate? Is it still waiting for the last two shuttles?"

"Descending from orbit as we speak," answered Cyrus as he turned his head and watched the last of the civilians enter the monorail. "Though running ain't much of a living." He flicked his cigarette to the bottom corner of the hologram as he turned back towards Sarge.

"Well, neither is dying" said the Sergeant as he finally composed himself. "Have you tried contacting the Colonel yet?"

"His comm. link is either broken or off. That idiot never liked to talk to me anyways. Pity that his life now depends on what I have to say," snickered Cyrus to himself.

"Everybody's life depends on it," said the Sergeant as he kneeled to deactivate the projector. "Including yours."

"Guess I'll be the one breaking the news then," said Cyrus as his hologram disappeared.

"Marines!" yelled the Sergeant to his squad. "Onto the monorail, we have an emergency!"

Over twenty Marines stood in the aisle where the families were sitting nervously. The Sergeant boarded the train as the door closed behind him. Slowly, the monorail left the station as it traveled toward the docking bay.

Eve was sitting next to Auntie Liz with Uncle Jim and Victor standing in the aisle. Residing in the far back, they waited quietly for the train to arrive to the runway. Like the calm before a storm, everybody on board remained silent with only the sound of the wheels grinding against the tracks in the background.

"Now arriving at runway three," chimed a voice over the speakers. Though it felt like an eternity, the passengers had finally made it to their destination. The train's brakes screeched as it began to slow down. Even before coming to a complete stop, people on board started to stand up and move in a hurry towards the exit.

"Back off!" yelled the Sergeant to the civilians as the Marines pushed people aside through the aisle. "If you want to live, then I suggest you let us get off this train first!" The Sergeant pulled his pistol out of his holster and pointed it into the air.

The doors slid opened as the Sergeant and his squad quickly exited. The rest of the people began to thrust and shove their way towards the front as frustration overcame all the passengers. Bringing up the rear, Eve and Auntie Liz's family had finally gotten off the train only to see how horrible their situation truly was.

Hundreds crowded near the passageway that boarded to the final shuttle. The second vessel was already accelerating down the runway into flight. An older man stood on top of a desk near the access point with fifteen Marines wearing riot control gear surrounding him. One by one, each person would pass through the checkpoint as they boarded the shuttle. The squad of Marines from the train lined the back of the terminal as their Sergeant shoved his way through the ocean of people.

"No…no…this isn't happening," said Auntie Liz bleakly as they neared the outside of the crowd.

"Don't worry Liz, there is still one shuttle left. Should be enough room for everybody," stated Uncle Jim confidently. "We will make it."

Eve stood next to Victor as she looked around the large, domed building. She looked up through the round, glass roof and saw the afternoon clouds drifting by. The shuttle from the runway soared across her view as it flew towards the west.

"This is ridiculous!" yelled a large woman standing close to Eve. "If the military truly cared about us, they would have sent more than enough ships for us to escape on!"

"Care about us?" replied an elderly man who was standing alone next to his suitcase. "Of course they don't care! Why do you think they didn't even try to defend the planet in the first place? This would have never happened back on Sierra!" The old man lifted his cane in his hand. "Mark my words, there won't be enough space for us on that bird."

"Shut your mouth!" cried a voice. A young man, who was sitting nearby with his fiancé, stood up and approached the old man. "This is the last bit of hope we have left and I won't let you take that away from us!"

The old man looked the boy dead in the eye. "Don't lie to yourself kid, you know as well as I do that there are only a few more seats and we ain't getting them."

"You don't know what you're talking about old fool!" The boy, who looked to be in his early twenties, got right up in the face of the elderly man. "And if you say one more thing, I swear to God that I will kill you!" The young man's fiancé ran up and grabbed his right arm.

"Cole! Leave him alone!" pleaded the girl as she tried to hold him back. "He is just afraid like us!"

"You should be spending time with your girl instead of yelling at me!" shouted the old man as he dropped his cane to the ground. "This might be the last time you both will ever see each other!"

"I SAID SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" The boy threw a punch that knocked the elderly man to the floor. Blood poured from his nose and mouth as he lied unconscious on his back.

Before the young man knew it, he was being subdued on the ground by two soldiers. A large, metal door fixed on the wall opened nearby Eve's family as a dozen more Marines, a medic, and a man wearing a black flight suit entered the terminal. As the medic went to tend to the old man, the pilot turned his head to Uncle Jim.

"Jim?" said the pilot as he walked towards the family. "Is that you?"

Jim stood up and stared at the pilot's face for a few seconds. "Chris! What are you doing here? I thought you left weeks ago with the rest of the flyboys."

"I got pulled from the squadron," replied Chris bitterly. "The higher-ups wanted to keep me around to fly supplies to and from the frigates that stay in orbit. But now they have me being a chauffeur for some loudmouth Colonel! See that guy up there?" asked Chris as he pointed towards the man standing on the table. "That man is the most miserable person to be around. I would give anything to be on the frontlines with the rest of my team!" said Chris as he clenched his fist in anger.

"Despite our situation, it is nice to see a familiar face," said Liz with a withered smile.

"Do you know of any other way of getting off the planet?" asked Jim.

"Well, besides that shuttle right in front of us, there is one last flight out. I know this since I am the one flying the ship," answered Chris. "I have to get that ungrateful Colonel and his men back to base once the boarding process is finished up here. Then it is back to the frigate."

"Is there any way we can come along?" asked Liz eagerly.

"I am sorry," replied Chris regretfully, "but it is UNSC personnel only." Jim and Liz's faces saddened hoping that there might have been a way to escape after all.

Chris felt horrible but he had orders to follow. "Hey, I wouldn't worry though," said Chris as he broke the awkward silence. "I bet there are enough seats for your family and everybody else. You would be surprised at how many people can fit into these shuttles."

"Colonel Triggs! We got an emergency!" shouted the Sergeant as he finally made it to the checkpoint. The Colonel looked down as he saw his second-in-command tumble out from the crowd.

"Why aren't you at your post Sergeant Cottrell?" said the Colonel angrily as he waved another group of people towards the shuttle. "You better have a damn good reason for abandoning your orders."

The Sergeant, who was out of breath, pulled the projector from his pocket and activated it on a desk next to the Colonel without saying a word. A hologram of Cyrus sprouted out as the Colonel looked at him with disgust.

"What is it, bot? Shouldn't you be on the scanners right now?" The Colonel turned his head toward the two Marines checking people's passes as he continued to permit more evacuees forward from the crowd.

"Though it may seem like magic, I actually made copies of myself to oversee not just the scanners but the airport, the city, and the entire area within a hundred and fifty mile radius of this point," said Cyrus sarcastically.

The Colonel scolded as he quickly turned around to reply to the A.I. but the Sergeant interrupted him.

"Sir, eight Covei warships are in orbit as we speak. The frigate is heading towards this location but it won't be long until the Covenant figure out that we are here."

The Colonel's stone face never changed as he stood still for a few seconds. "Show me," said the Colonel calmly as a three dimensional map of the area appeared on the hologram. From the projector, an image of the frigate moved towards the airport as the shuttle that had just departed was nearing it. Behind the frigate were three massive Covenant cruisers as they accelerated toward their location. The rest of the enemy's fleet was scattered across the surface of the planet in different directions.

"Why didn't anybody notify my comm. link?" said the Colonel furiously as he grabbed the device from his pocket. Though fully charged, the communication link picked up no signal as the screen scrambled frantically.

The Sergeant quickly pulled his comm. link out. "Sir, mine isn't working either. What is going on?"

"They're jamming us," said Cyrus as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket. "They just took out the last of my satellites. Hate to break it to you Colonel but I am now blind as a bat."

The Colonel stared at his comm. link and then at the crowd of people. Slowly, he looked up and turned his head towards the Sergeant who was nervously waiting for his next order.

"They…they know we're hiding here," said the Colonel to himself. "They're going to glass the entire planet…" The Colonel jumped off the table onto the floor and walked towards the doorway of the access point.

"Sir, what should we do?" asked the Sergeant nervously. "There can't possibly be enough time to board this shuttle before the Covenant get here. Couldn't we just…" He was caught off midsentence by the Colonel.

"You're right Sergeant," interrupted the Colonel. "There isn't enough time to save everybody. We did our best to save as many people as we could. Now, it is time to go." The Colonel walked inside the access point doorway. "You coming or not?"

Blindsided by the Colonel's offer, the Sergeant sat down on the desk that Cyrus was hovering over. "Sir," stuttered the Sergeant, "We just can't leave them here to die. What about our shuttle? It's still waiting for us! If we allow everybody to board without checking their passes, then there should…"

"YOU IDIOT!" shouted the Colonel angrily. "There is no time! The Covenant will be here any minute and I am not going to die on this God forsaken planet!" The crowd was getting restless as the line had now come to a complete stop. Frustrated, the people started to move aggressively towards the access point with only a handful of Marines to hold them back. "Now you are a good soldier," said the Colonel calmly, "and I am going to ask you one more time. Are you coming with me or not?"

The Sergeant turned his head towards the crowd and then back to the Colonel. With all the courage he could summon, the Sergeant stared his commanding officer right in the eye as he gave him his answer. "I was trained to defend the innocent. I was taught to sacrifice for what is important. And I, sir, believe that running is the coward's way out. I am staying here where I am needed most."

"I second that motion," interrupted Cyrus. "I hope you burn in Hell Triggs."

The Colonel started to laugh manically. "I don't think you understand. Hell is coming here. You're in charge now Sergeant." With that, the Colonel pressed a button on the wall as the access point's door slammed shut.

Immediately, the crowd began to panic as they screamed out in anger. Though many thought there wouldn't be enough room for all, they hoped that at least half could escape on this final shuttle. All the Marines in the room ran into the fray as they fought to hold back the furious crowd.

"Why is the door closed?" cried a voice.

"The shuttle is leaving!" shouted another.

The Sergeant looked at Cyrus. "What should I do?" he asked miserably.

"What can we do?" replied Cyrus rhetorically.

The Sergeant stood up on the desk to confront the crowd. "I am sorry," he shouted, "but the last shuttle has to depart now. We are…" Once again, the Sergeant was cut off but this time by the crowd. In a rage, they charged towards the doorway in a final act of getting onto the shuttle. The Sergeant and his group of Marines were overwhelmed as they tried their best to hold back the civilians. At this time, the shuttle was already nearing the runway for its take off.

"So this is it," said Uncle Jim miserably. His wife neared his side as her eyes filled with tears. "I am so sorry Liz that I couldn't get us out of this."

"You did your best honey," replied Liz sadly, "and your family loves you no matter what." She embraced him in a hug as their son walked over to them to spend their final moments together.

While the enraged crowd fought futilely to the doorway, many people huddled in small groups and cried in fear as they came to terms with their fate. Fathers and mothers held their children, friends stood side by side, and lovers would embrace in fear as they gave their final goodbyes. Though death approached them all, each person in that room had somebody to spend it with. Even the old man sat with the young boy who struck him earlier. The only one who stood alone was Eve. She held her teddy tightly and sat down on the ground.

"Mommy," she whispered, "why did you have to stay?"

Chris gritted his teeth as he quickly turned from the crowd to Jim.

"Get your family and follow me. Leave your luggage behind."

"But what about your orders?" asked Jim surprisingly.

At that moment, the ground shook as a massive explosion erupted on the runway. The final shuttle was almost airborne when a bright, blue beam shattered the vessel in half. Fiery shrapnel scattered in every direction as the shuttle's corpse slid to a grinding halt. The entire terminal went silent as everybody witnessed the demise of the ship.

Above the runway hovered a colossal, Covenant cruiser. Another bright beam struck the runway as it exploded into pieces. Underneath its belly, hundreds of Banshees began to pour out as they swarmed the air and started their attack.

"They're here!" cried a voice as the silence was finally broken. Fear quickly transformed into terror. The crowd stampeded in horror towards the monorail. Many were trampled and crushed to death under the feet of the frighten people. Marines lined their riot shields in vain to hold back the crowd from overrunning their post.

"Come on!" shouted Chris. "We can still get out of here!"

Auntie Liz ran over to Eve and grabbed her by the hand. The entire family followed Chris through the backdoor in the wall. Despite the Marines holding the line, many people were able to break through and followed Eve's family through the wall door. Realizing the threat of overloading the shuttle, Chris ordered the soldiers to lock down the door. The solid, metal gate slammed shut behind the terrified group of people as they ran down a staircase that led to an elevator. The group stood for a minute waiting for the elevator as it traveled slowly up the lift. The ground shook violently a second time. The elevator finally arrived as the door slid opened.

The elevator descended as the group nervously awaited the bottom floor. Finally, they reached their destination as the door opened to reveal an underground hanger. The enormous room stretched for over a mile but only had one shuttle stored inside of it. The small, black ship was already prepped for takeoff with the ramp opened for loading. Quickly, everybody entered the shuttle as Chris ran into the cockpit. As he sat down in his seat to set the coordinates, a hologram of Cyrus appeared on the console.

"How did you get in my ship?" asked Chris as he continued the final preparations for takeoff.

"Thought I would tag along," said Cyrus, "unless you have a problem with that."

"At this point, the only thing I care about is getting out of here alive," replied Chris swiftly. "If there is any way you can help, I would really appreciate it."

"I'll see what I can do," answered Cyrus.

Everybody on the shuttle was secured in their seats. Eve sat between Auntie Liz and Victor with Uncle Jim sitting to the right of his son. The cabin of the shuttle was dark and eerie. Everybody on board remained quiet. Suddenly, the shuttle shook as it moved towards an enormous gate that led to a ramp.

"We have to get out of here immediately," said Chris to Cyrus. "As soon as we are secured into the slingshot, open the exit gate."

"Aye aye, Captain," answered Cyrus.

The ship now faced the ramp as the gate fully opened. At the end of the ramp tunnel, a bright light could be seen. The shuttle shook again as it locked into the slingshot. Chris held down the throttle as both engines roared to life. The plane slowly rose until it was even with the ramp.

"This is it!" exclaimed the young pilot as he secured himself in his seat.

"Here's hoping," said Cyrus coolly.

"NOW!" shouted Chris.

The slingshot launched the shuttle out of the hanger like a bullet from a gun. As the Covenant focused on destroying the airport, they paid no attention to the shuttle that had escaped under their very nose.

Up into the sky climbed the shuttle until it was almost above the clouds. As they traveled through the air undetected, a feeling of relief overcame the people on board.

"We are going to make it!" cried Victor to his father.

"Let's not celebrate until we make it off the planet," replied Uncle Jim. "We are very lucky to have made it this far. Don't forget that."

Chris held the steering helm as the shuttle neared its destination. "I cannot believe we made it out of their alive," said Cyrus to Chris.

"Neither can I," replied Chris. "Now all we have to do is get to the frigate."

"Sorry to break it to ya but I lost touch with the frigate a few minutes before the Covenant attacked the airport."

"I kind of figured that would happen with our communication going out and all," said Chris. "I suppose we can go to the spot where the frigate was last located. Chances are that it is still waiting there…"

At that moment, the shuttle soared out from its cover from the clouds. In front of it floated the dead remains of the frigate as it slowly fell towards the ground. Fire erupted from the hull of the ship shooting shrapnel in every direction. Behind the frigate loomed two Covenant cruisers.

Chris' eyes quivered as he gazed upon the wreckage. The afternoon sky was bleeding red as fire filled the air.

"Looks like this is the end of the line," said Cyrus quietly. The shuttle shook from a near direct hit. Two Banshees flew past the front of the shuttle and started to turn around for a second attack. Tightening his hold on the helm, Chris jerked the plane to the left as it started to dive towards the ground. The Banshees quickly followed in pursuit.

"Oh God save us!" cried Auntie Liz as she held onto the arm of Eve. Everybody in the cabin screamed in terror. The smell of smoke started to fill the aisles. Gravity disappeared as the shuttle went into a dive leaving all the people on board in a state of freefall.

"Cyrus! Deploy flares!" shouted Chris.

An explosion erupted from behind the shuttle as the flares prevented the Banshee's fuelrod rounds. The ship trembled from all the pressure being put on it. The ground was in view now as Chris took the plane down lower and lower.

"I can't shake them!" cried Chris out loud.

"Nobody can," replied Cyrus morbidly.

The shuttle quaked as two fuelrod rounds pierced the tail of the ship. They could no longer stay airborne. With no options left, Chris steered the shuttle towards the grassy plains in hope of pulling off a safe crash landing.

Everybody on board screamed in fear as they plummeted. The lights in the shuttle flickered on and off until they went out leaving the passengers in the dark. Shaking in their seats, the people cried out for any hope of salvation from their plight.

"Victor, I am sorry for how I acted earlier," croaked Uncle Jim. "I should have never said those hurtful things…I am sorry for not being able to save you and your mother. I hope you can forgive me."

"You have nothing to apologize for," tearfully replied Victor. "You tried your best…I just wish it didn't have to end like this." Though their words were drowned out by the shouting in the shuttle, both could hear each other perfectly.

Jim grasped his hand on Victor's shoulder. "If things were different, I know you would have grown up to be much more of a man than I ever was. My son, I am so proud of you. Never forget that."

Victor stared at his father as he finally saw him for what he was. At the end, both were afraid and death loomed over them but they were together. "I love you too Dad," replied Victor as he choked on his tears.

Eve could only gaze upon them silently. To her side, Auntie Liz sobbed with her hands covering her face. "It shouldn't be like this!" she cried out. "This isn't happening! God, please save us!"

Overwhelmed with fear, Eve closed her eyes tightly. The noise from the engines howled loudly as they began to fail. Only seconds remained until the shuttle would make contact with the ground. In the darkness of her thoughts, Eve could only see her parents. Though she was filled with fear, she was comforted by this image in her mind. Despite being on board a crashing shuttle, what made her afraid the most was the thought of not seeing her mother or father again.

"Mommy…daddy…I miss you," whispered Eve to herself.

A fiery explosion erupted from the rear of the ship as flames engulfed the people in the back. The shuttle struck the ground shaking the entire vessel to the core. Eve lost consciousness after the impact as her thoughts turned into darkness. Everything went black.


End file.
